Emperor's Reckoning

The old farmer was stunned, however, it was not due to the blood gushing out from the adventurers' mingled bodies, but rather from the identity that was unveiled in front of him. His lips were dusty like the Sahara desert as the air freely swirled around inside his gaping mouth. The young man that had ridden his dusty old and vegetable-scented caravan was none other than the elusive figure himself. The one dubbed as the strongest in the latest generation.

"You're..." he gulped down his dry saliva. His weary hands trembled at the sight of the youth as both of his knees were unbudged, pressing against the ground. He could hardly lift a finger as he saw three of the cloaked group nonchalantly massacre the entire tavern. The boss, and the underlings, were all dead.

"Eek!!" the adventurers at the gate immediately ran away after seeing their friends being instantly killed and left not even a whisper of their breaths.

The Hydra Guild was finished in a single day with a tap of a finger from a young man that was casually drinking a juice.

"Lyon," Cecile muttered behind him.

"Hm?"

"It's time to go," whispered Cecile before she hold his left shoulder. "Don't heal the horse."

Lyon raised his brows in surprise as he saw the sharp glance that Cecile gave him. He had the question in his mind already, but he refused to utter the words. Lyon looked down before he looked at the old man who was still kneeling.

Lyon took a deep breath before slowly exhaling the warm air. He overstepped the boss of the guild's corpse before approaching the old man. "Looks like the journey ends now."

"Y-Young Master?" the old farmer muttered. He was powerless as he was old. Time had to grind the spirit inside him, furthermore with his lovely horse dying on the street.

"Your horse," said Lyon as he looked over. The hind legs were severely separated from the main body and the blood had dried off from the chilling wind of approaching night. "She is a good horse."

"I... I know..." the old farmer had his head down.

"We will pay you as we promised," said Cecile by the side.

"Huh?" the old farmer looked up, "N-No... you don't need to do that, you don't need to do that, Young Miss."

"This is not about you rejecting it, it's about us making you take this path," said Cecile. "You're losing someone precious, that's hardly replaceable."

"Do you want to be with her to the very end, or do you want me to mercy kill it?" said Assid by the side. "Choose, old farmer, she is dying."

The old farmer was struggling to utter a word. His mind was in shambles. The horse had lost two of its leg. It's practically a dead horse for those that used them, and even, the horse themselves. The old farmer made a harsh swallow as he closed his eyes. He used his knees to stand up before Assid immediately aid him.

Lyon raised his brows as he looked at his butler clad inside the thick cloak. He never saw him helping someone else other than him. It was a rare sight, even though, it took an old man and a dying horse.

The old farmer bowed against Lyon for a second, "Excuse me, young master."

Lyon nodded before seeing Assid gently guide the old farmer toward the beloved mare. He saw him immediately broke down and hugged Dora's muzzle.

The old farmer wailed in tears. He wailed at his powerlessness and his weakness. Time couldn't be turned no matter how much he wished for it inside his heart. The time that was spent with his beloved mare was equal to the number of tears that he shed.

Lyon brood over the scene before he asked his beloved wife. "Cecile, why?"

"Because you are not a healer, Lyon," said Cecile as she darted her glance from the sobbing old man toward her beloved husband.

"But, maybe I can try something," said Lyon calmly.

"You can, but not everything can be fixed with a drizzle of magic," Cecile answered with a hard note.

"I know," Lyon crossed his arms. "However, why not lift his emotion up a bit?"

"The mare is already dying from the unstoppable corrosion, called time," said Cecile. "Do you hate me, Lyon."

"That's not fair, Cecile," Lyon shook his head.

"I know, but I don't want you to be naive," said Cecile as she shook his head. "Your naivety and spontaneous kindness might bring something bad instead of something good."

"What do you mean?" Lyon furrowed his brows.

"People always take something that was easily given to them, for granted," said Cecile as she tightened her upper lips before taking an audible cold breath. "Somethings are better off not to be meddled with."

Lyon looked at her wife before his brows softened. He noticed how she was looking down with a tinge of disappointment. ( Something must have happened in the past ).

"Naivety, Lyon," Cecile gave him a sharp glance. "An Emperor shouldn't be too naive."

"You know," Lyon looked at the sobbing old farmer before darting back at Cecile. "I have a gut feeling that I never wanted to be an Emperor, is that true?"

Lumina's ears twitched as she overheard their conversation. She immediately turned around before looking at the two from a distance.

"What's wrong? What are they talking about?" asked Luna.

"I don't know for sure," said Lumina as she crossed her arms.

Cecile shook her head, "You never did want to become one."

"Then why are those three callings me their emperor?" asked Lyon as he shook his head. "Did I bound to something?"

Cecile shook her head, "I don't know, but perhaps you did."

( I see, so even Cecile didn't know why did I become an Emperor ) thought Lyon before he let out a sigh. "Sorry, for this, awkward conversation."

"Hmm?" Cecile raised her brows. "No need, you deserve to know, after all, I'm sorry that I have to do this Lyon, I don't want you to be taken for granted, by anyone, even if they are the sons of whatever abomination."

Lyon smiled, "Thank you, but you're not entirely wrong though. I did indeed have this feeling to jump out and ease the old man out, just because."

"To be seen as a savior? How many eyes were there when they saw you slay the Eternal Golem, yet they take it for granted and tried to hunt the entire race that has nothing to do with their overlords."

Lyon nodded a few times, "You're right, you're right."

Cecile nodded, "I know you would get it, after all, not even the overlord ghosts of the past nor present could best you."

"Heh," Lyon couldn't help but have a red hue on his cheeks as he smiled at his wife. "I am really lucky to have found you."

"The lucky one is me, otherwise, I would rot in that prison forever until they hacked my neck off," Cecile shook her head.

"Fate has its own ways, I guess," Lyon chuckled before he saw Assid ending the horse's life with a sharp blow against its brain. The mercy kill ensued smoothly and only the draught of sadness shrouded the old farmer.

"All you have to do now, Lyon," said Cecile as she saw Assid giving the old farmer a bigger pouch than the initial one. "Is to cultivate."

"I don't know what's after True God Realm, to be honest, I mean, what's more than an actual god?" Lyon shook his head.

"You will figure it out," Cecile smiled.

"Of course," Lyon smiled and shook his head. "Though there is one problem."

"A problem? You? Well that's rare," Cecile chuckled, "Come then, what problem do you have? Maybe this older sister can help."

"Hehe," Lyon grinned pervertedly before he sighed. "I have something to tell you though."

"Yeah, this ring that Selena gives to me...."

"Hm? What of it?"

"She said that it holds fifty percent of my power?"

"More like mana, to be precise, and a bunch of spells that you knew of when you are at peak of the food chain."

"Yeah, that's the problem," Lyon smiled wryly. "I don't think I can do a magnificent feat or another miracle that I can pull out of my butt."

"What are you talking about?"

"I ran out of gas."

"Gas?"

"En," Lyon nodded slowly ( Oh right, she didn't know what gasoline is).

Cecile furrowed her brows as she slightly tilted her head.

"I ran out of pure mana, Cecile, the stock inside this ring is done and empty," Lyon smiled wryly.

Cecile and the rest of the group with sharp ears immediately had their pupils shrunk. Cecile gulped before she slowly shook her head with question marks.

"Yup," Lyon nodded before showing her the ring. There was a slight puff coming out before it immediately dispersed.

Cecile let out a sigh as she slouched her shoulder down.